1998 Clos de Tart
By Mommessin
1998 Clos de Tart from Mommessin, Grand Cru, Burgundy, France
A distinguished gem cradled in the famed escarpments of Burgundy, the 1998 Clos de Tart from Mommessin represents a vintage of exquisite rarity and exceptional craftsmanship. With an intimate understanding of both vineyard and vintage, this wine unfolds a tapestry rich with the historical terroir of one of Burgundy's most esteemed Grand Crus.
The Testament of Time: A Vintage's Voyage
As is customary with the finest of Burgundy's legacies, time bestows a certain enchantment upon the bottle. Now in the peak of its maturity, the 1998 vintage emerges splendidly from its dormancy. The year graced growers with a rather generous window for harvest, allowing a full expression of the grape's characteristics to be captured after a growing season marked by climate’s fickleness.
A Confluence of Climate and Craft
The climatic conditions of 1998 bestowed upon the fruit a balance rarely outdone - permitting the full-bodied complexity of this single-vineyard morsel to truly come forth. As I delved into this particular vintage, swirls in the glass released an elegant perfume, exhibiting dried roses commingled with whispers of truffle and forest floor.
A tasting reveals not just a wine but a narrative in liquid form; an amalgamation of ripe red cherries and fresh soil on the nose while settled tannins draw out an extended epilogue on the palate. The inherent acidity adds remarkable vivacity, ensuring that each sip is as engaging as an aria.
An Investment Worth Its Terroir
Moreover, for those vested in wine investment, a well-preserved 1998 Clos de Tart from Mommessin presents more than just an oenological exploit; it embodies potential windfall in years to come. Balancing consummate finesse with robust longevity, it stands as a keystone asset for connoisseurs and investors alike.
As we regard this exemplary vintage, let us annotate our ledgers, both metaphorical and literal. For within your cellar resides not merely a bottle but a fragment of oenophilic history - one which aptly signifies Burgundy’s perpetual grandeur.
Market price (HKD)
HK$38,860.00
12x75cl
Highest score
88
POP score
508.75
Scores and tasting notes
Tasted at the pre-dinner vertical to mark Sylvain Pitiot's retirement from the domaine, the 1998 Clos de Tart Grand Cru has a far more mature nose than the 1999; it is a little smudged and earthy, more rustic than I was expecting. The palate foundation is dry with obdurate tannins and plenty of mushroom notes (morels), with a masculine and tertiary finish. I suspect that there might be better bottles than this, but if I had any of my own, I would be inclined to drink them in the next three or four years. Tasted September 2015.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 October 2015